OR, PLAIN TEACHING. 



89 



times being ten feet in length, as 

 large round as a man's thigh, 



355. 



and weighing more than a hun- 

 dred weight. Here is a different 

 conformation to any of the pre- 

 ceding : a long serpent-like body, 

 the eyes, 13, remarkably small, 

 the pectoral fins, 14, small, the 

 dorsal, 15, extending from a little 

 way behind the head to the ex- 

 treme point of the tail, where it 

 is joined by the fins from under- 

 neath, which also extend along 

 the lower and posterior part of 

 the body. The caudal fin is ab- 

 sent. A distinguishing difference 

 between th.e eel and the conger 

 is, that in the former the lower 

 jaw projects, in the latter the 

 upper. 



The conger is an inhabitant of the sea, and 

 is supposed to imbed itself und<r soft mud, and 

 to lie in an inactive state during the winter. 

 It also appears to be of nocturnal habits, as it 

 seldom takes bait by day. Some of the species 

 occupy large crevices in rocks, from which, 

 when the water is clear, their heads may be 

 seen protruding. They are often left in this 

 situation by the retiring tide, and are pulled 

 out with iron hand-hooks by people who 

 wander among the rocks for the purpose. 



"We will now look upon another 

 curious form, differing in a high 

 degree from either of the pre- 

 ceding. The globe-fishes, sun- 

 fishes, diodons, etc., comprise a, 

 very remarkable family. Instead 

 of teeth, their mouths are fur- 

 nished with an ivory substance, 

 divided into a series of lamina* 



* Layers or coato over one another. 



the whole resembling a parrot's 

 beak. Some of them are capable 

 of inflating themselves into a 

 spherical form, in which state 

 they float with the back down- 

 wards. The short sun-fish (Or- 

 thagoriscus mola) 16, is a specimen 

 of this curious group. The pec- 

 toral fin, 17, is very small, the 

 caudal fin, 18, expands over the 



16 



356. 



whole of the posterior region, and 

 is united to the dorsal, 19, and' 

 the anal, 20, w r hich look like a 

 pair of wings ; when swimming 

 it turns round like a wheel. This 

 fish attains to an enormous size, 

 upwards of four feet in length, 

 and more than three hundred 

 pounds'' weight. It is found in 

 almost all seas, and yields a great 

 quantity of oil ; but the flesh is 

 disagreeable. 



The beluga sturgeon (Accipen- 

 ser huso), 1, is a member of a 

 very remarkable family to which 

 we have hitherto seen no resem- 

 iblance. The body is more or 



